Mark Green

Hi Gang, Jean, I will open the new thread for ya. As a Midievial reanactor, I have some first hand experience with this. In a two week period of being in the field, at war, living in canvas tents, with a good bit of rain. I had an old wak nearly turn brown from rust. I don't think I had it in the open air more than a few times. And I had a fair amount of oil on it most of the time. So, you can only wonder how badly a sword would get rusted up if it were in REAL combat. Or just being on campaign for a month or two. So, it is very likely, Samurai had their weapons being polished very often. That is why in times of war, many thousands of swords were being made. In war, swords break, and are being polished every day. Not the kind of ART POLISH we see in modern times, but just enough to get the rust off, and keep them sharp. There were no finger stones, or Hadori, or any of that mess. I was told once by on old ww2 polisher that he had 3 stones in the field. I think the last being a hato or jito, or maybe a uchi. So most fighting Samurai likely had many a sword in his lifetime. If you were lucky enough to live through REAL combat, and have been in the thick of it, you may have owned many a sword in one campaign. there were usualy many swords with no owners after a hot action. Pick up a new one and drive on. Mark G

Hi Gang, Great subject. I first give a big DITTO to Ted. Great job. I feel that it is very unlikely that this crack would have been caused by the polish. This sword looked in about 70-80% polish, before it went to polish. So I doubt that a whole lot of pressure was needed for it's last polish. But, I wasn't there. I say to Shan, jump on this one sword bro. This is a big name sword that you can pick up for likely a tenth of it's pre hagire value. If the crack doesn't bother you, and you like the look of this sword. BAG IT!!!! I think is is a great looking sword, but I'm a huge nei lover. I feel the pain of it's owner oh too well. I have seen many great old swords with hagire. Many that could not be seen with the naked eye. Many that only show up in the last stages of polish. I know that many big cracks can, and do happen during straightining. So it is always a cross your fingers kind of process. How those guys do it with the two sticks is so cool. My friend has done dozens of swords with another process, and has never cracked a one. And some of these swords looked looked like a snake's back. It takes a knack. I just hope the owner can recover some of his/her loss. Mark G

Hi Shan, The filed area was likely part of the blade. I think that the sword was cut, and the Nakago was moved up past the big crack/ware. This may have been done the last time it was polished, or long ago. But from the look of it, not that long ago. The sword looks well used, but I sure like the style. May or may not servive a polish???? Mark G

Hi Guys, I'm with Brian, I think that the Nakago was just moved up to get past that big 'goob'. I feel that is the orig. Nakago past the lighter part. I would say late koto/early shinto, wak./long tanto Now a bit shorter. I love this style blade!!! Sweet. Mark G

Mariuszk, I'm right there with you on the sword holdings. Allthough I have a few "gems", I have never paid more than 2000$ for a sword. I do know some polishers though, that helps. Now that I have blown up your pics, I still feel that your Nakago has been made to look older than the sword is. WHY???? Who knows, likely for money reasons. I have personaly seen more than a few 'newer' swords that have been cut down, then polished down thin, and the Nakago aged, so as to look Koto to those that don't know any better, and sometimes to those that should know better. A sensei told me it was called "suriaged", he had seen it a lot. I don't feel the hole in the back of your sword was fake. I think it may have been a 2nd hole, these are not uncommon in late period blades. It just made it easy for the fakers, or was simply cut off to put it in new mounts. I was told once that it became common practice with the 'gun slinger' Samurai of the Edo period. Just in case one of your Mekugi failed, your sword wouldn't come flying out of the handle. Made sense to me. Also common in ww2 era swords, for the same reason. I think for the price, you got a great sword. The boshi is good, and it has no flaws that I could see in the pics, and the polish is not that far off. Just enjoy it for what it is. That is what this obsession is all about. Mark G

That is great news about the Hada. I thought from the pics that it may be serface staining or rust starting up, giving it that look. Don't get me wrong, I think your sword is very good looking. I have a Hizen Yoshitsugu with the konuka hada, and nice fat Nioideki saguha. It looks very much like your sword. That may be the reason someone has 'worked' on this nakago to make it look much older. If that is the case!!! I have seen a few Yasakuni swords that look very much like yours. Whenever I see a Nakago like this, My first question is WHY. Most times, I feel it is due to some person looking to turn a fast buck by making a good looking 'new' sword look 'old', to those that may not know any better. This is an easy thing to do in our hobby. Just look at how many $39. chinese swords you see sell for $400. every day on ebay. You got a "REAL" sword no doubt. I do feel that it was made to look older than it is. But this is jmho. Based on the pics I have seen. If there is one thing I have learned about this hobby, it is you never can tell where the jems will come from. I got the above Yoshitsugu from a U-sell-it ebay store for about $160 us. It was a mess. But it is all better now, and so sweet. Have fun with your sword, it looks good to me. Mark G

Hi Sword Bro, Here is my take on your new sword. I think the nakago has been aged. I feel your sword may be as new as pre ww2, or even ww2 era. I think that the back hole was just that, an extra Mekugi ana, that you see on many ww2 era blades. I think someone sat this nakago in a bucket of salt water, and tea, and waited until it looked good enough to try to fool someone into thinking it was shinto or older. Did you ask the seller what his advisors had thought about it? I see no Hada, and I can't tell if there is any turnback in the Boshi. I do not think it has been welded. I think that would be very unlikely. I have see this type of work on more than a few Nakago. Mostly on newer swords that have a good 'old' look to them. I could be all wrong about this, not having the sword in hand. But, from the pics I saw, that would be my guess. These aged nakago usualy have large 'pits' the file marks are not to be found, and the color is just 'not right'. I would ask the seller what he thought about it. Even if he knows, the same things I do, he may not admit it, as sword selling is about money for him. But, if you get the sword in hand, and my guess seems to be the case. I would ask him none the less. Then you could know better what he is about. Mark G

Nice looking sword. JMHO, I would say shinto or maybe even shinshinto. That Kissaki look big to me. I would be leaning toward shin myself. I would think 700$ would be a fair price, if it has no other flaws. Mark G

Dream sword!!!! Thanks for the pics Darcy. Great as always!!! Mark G

Looking close at the pics, I feel that a couple of these chips in Robin's sword may be part of the blade forever. That one in the monouchi, looks very deep, and the one up from that doesn't look very good either. The hamachi is a mess too. Still, I would bet this sword is worthy of a full polish. If it has no fatal flaws, and it looked like it is a REAL Sukehiro, and a good polisher would take it on, and you can afford the $$$$$$$. I just want to see all that ji-nie in all it's glory!!!! :D Ok I'll shut up now.... Mark G

Hi Gang and Robin, Now that I have had a chance to look at all your pics, I'm with Doug. It matches very well with Shinto Sukehiro. That fat ji-nie is SO nice!!!!!!! Even in the very out of polish state, it comes crashing through. Get up with some people in the know Robin. This sword could be a gem. I for one, would love to see some more pics of the blade close up. Best of luck with this one mate!!!! Mark G

Great looking sword Robin. JMHO very late koto if so. Does look a bit soshu though. Great looking fat nie running all along the blade. I feel it may have been shortened as well??? It does have some mighty chips, and a broken tip. I would think that it could all be fixed. The hamon is a mile wide, and it looks as though there is plenty of boshi to fix the tip. I'm sure you have gotten many offers from the 'pros' already for this nice sword. If the attribution holds up, you could likely trade it for a nice sword in full polish, or have it polished yourself, and have a great sword. Or just keep it as is, with a bit of oil on it and enjoy. Great get, Thanks Grandma!!!!! Mark G

Looks Bungo to me bro. Mark Green

Mushin, I have a Shinto Nobusada with the same hamon, but mine has 5 Gnome/globe areas, with about an inch or two of suguha between the sets. Same wonderful look though. I like this sword as well. Mark G

SWEET!!!!!!!!! Mark G

That Yukimitsu ain't too shabby, either. That would be my pick, or maybe the Tadayoshi. Mark G

To me, it looks like the Boshi is 'just' hanging on. (If it is). It looks like someone used some sand paper or steelwool, to remove some rust spots. Study it for a while, than move it on. My guess would be late koto/ early shinto wak. Hard to tell if it has temper all around? I like the funky tsuba! Mark G

Hi Gang, IMHO, I think your sword to be a cut down pole weapon. Likely from the 14-1500's. It looks like it needs some work, but looks very nicely shaped into a wak. Likely done in the 1600's, maybe before. I like the shape. I bet it was a very nasty naginata/maki. It would look natural on the end of a fighting pole. If it has no cracks, polish and paper, if it will. Or better yet, see if it will paper first. If it does at all, than polish and enjoy, of move it to someone that will. Again JMHO, Mark G

Hi Gang, I'm with Darcy. This is the good end of an old sword. Likely reshaped to look more tanto. Very nice though! Congrats. Mark G

Hi Gang, I'm with Mark J...... I am holding in my hand a flawless Amahide, that has had no acid anything on it, that looks very much like this sword. I believe the dark lines in the hada, had to do with the steel used. However, the sword I'm looking at in my hand, BY Amahide, does look very close. The one I'm holding is true gendi, no stamps, very nice sugata, allmost Koto like, in feel. Likely custom made for some army officer. I would say that your sword is likely Gendi. I think the writing is suspect at best. I hate to think about who may have been the cutting test subjects for the period this sword was in action. Mark G

Hiya Harvey, Three for Mino, Shinto. Your pics are great!!!. I'll bet this nice sword would look great in new polish. Great get. Mark G

Hi Peter. Sounds very like mine. Very controlled suguha, with fat nei line. Very tight hada, nearly flawless, but for some dumbass taking a grinder to the ha. It's all better now though. I love it. Here is my mei, [attachment=0]IMG_0202jpg.jpg[/attachment]

Hiya Peter, I have a signed Yoshitsugu wak, the guy that was said to be the son of Tadayoshi's mistress. Mine matches the oshi in the Hizento Handbook. Great sword, very much like a Tadayoshi 2. I would guess that yours is the late period guy. Does the sword look shinshinto? Mark G

Oh and I don't think that your sword here in this post is Bungo. Mark G

Bungo Swords are the best! Getting 'Bungoed' at shinsa, is better than a lot of the other things that can happen there. And I believe that it's true that the big reason a bunch of swords get 'Bungoed', is due to the fact that the Bungo schools copied the best of many of the other schools. The schools that made swords that would hold up in combat! So, many are close to the school that people were wanting them to be. Be proud if you have one, or feel free to send it to Milt or I. Mark Green